month 8 for my daughter.
Posted , 5 users are following.
today is the day my 19yr old begins coming of the medication. we saw the dr and asked for the liquid dose, she was on 20mg tablets , and is now taking 2.5ml of the liquid. Thats equivalent to 10mg of tablets.
the only side effect left is night sweats, and she is back to her normal self now, so the dr thinks the time is right to come off. i hope its an easier journey than when she went on them, and hopefully by taking a smaller amount each day it will be better than what the dr suggested of missing tablets every other day. so, wish us luck, and keep smiling. xx
0 likes, 13 replies
Richo67 karen13323
Posted
Wow! Good luck...yes i would say that reduction sounds better than cold turkey.
I too hope trhat it is a lot smoother coming off than going on... I am now just about settled (I think) on 60mg ... I'm going to be on this for a while longer than I thought... I do think it was worth the journey. I hope that I can come off it next yesr some time.
Please keep us in the picture about your daughters reduction. Obviously all of us are on this for different reasons, but it would be soooooooo great to hear what it is like to return to normality.
Good luck to you both
karen13323 Richo67
Posted
Richo67 karen13323
Posted
Yes anxiety is a side effect of this drug. I do suffer from it but my trigger is much different from most. With me (especially now) it is a case of others that panic me, and I crumble. I need to be in a position to be strong whilst this is happening - I am getting there. When the main issue is resolved, the drug will be unnecessary and will then just need to get off the meds in the smoothest way possible.
It is not so simple, and sometimes (another reason for the meds) think I am not going to survive the journey.
I just keep talking...
karen13323 Richo67
Posted
katecogs karen13323
Posted
Lovely to hear from you, and glad to hear your daughter has done so well. Coming off medication is best done as slowly as possible ..... adjust to the reduction, let things settle, and reduce again etc until completely off.
My my son is back to his normal self too after an horrendous journey with depression and the medication, and is still taking it. Not sure when his time will come to come off them ..... we'll see.
Best of luck to you both and keep in touch throughout the medication reduction journey.
K xx
karen13323 katecogs
Posted
i went bananas, went back to see him, and he agreed to the liquid dose, made it clear he thourght i was a pushy mother, and still insisted within 5 weeks she needs to be off the meds. He said fluox needs to be out the sysytem quickly to avoid side effects, i could of jumped on him and slapped him about the head, he wasnt having any of what i was saying. i had even printed out what the collage for psychiatrists, and MIND charity say. ooooo enough of my rant, how are YOU my love, are you well?
katecogs karen13323
Posted
I've also complained at how slow it was at getting him to see a psychologist and the psych team, and it wasn't until my son did something drastic was he seen immediately. I told them it was disgusting that vulnerable people at risk were kept waiting for months.
That along with other stresses along the way was why I ended up on meds too.
You are not a pushy mother - any mother would lay down in the road and die for their child. Has your doctor had to witness his own child's struggle with depression? I bet he'd do the same. What an a.r.s.e. Fluoxetine and other SSRI's do not need to be out of the system quickly - what's wrong with him? It needs to be done slowly to avoid withdrawal effects. Stick to your guns, YOU and you're daughter are the patients and you have rights. He's not on the meds. I would absolutely insist.
Is it because it's the liquid form, or is he talking about Flu in general?
When I came off SSRI's years ago (before I restarted last year) I took months. Halved my dose and waited for my body to get used to it before I did the same again until I got to the lowest I could cut my tablets too, then took it every other day, then spaced that even further until I stopped. I still got some withdrawal effects too.
I'm fine thanks Karen - we're enjoying family life once again, having all got through the dark days. Life is good at the moment :-D
Stick to your guns Karen xxxxxxx
karen13323 katecogs
Posted
she has a photo of her "safe" place, the chair with all the snuggle blankets, and her "breathe" poem, so if she gets shakey whilst reducing the dose, they are her first port of call, but so far so good. I do realise that from roughly today the new dose will be active in her system, and the higher dose will be out, so fingers crossed all stays good.
my heart goes out to you for your boy, as a mum to witness this horrid illness, its heartbraking, and like you say, we would lay down our life for our kids. keep smiling today. xx
katecogs karen13323
Posted
My son's 21st in just over a week ..... happy days :-)
Keep posting your progress :-)
K x
paul29655 karen13323
Posted
I have been meaning to type somthing on here for months, I used this website back at the begining of the year and it really helped me. I have suffered with this for a few years now and have been off and on like a yo yo in the past.
I am a 40yr Male for your information.
I wanted to give somebody some feed back on my latest bowt:
Started in decmeber 2014 as I was the worst id ever been. I was that bad that I new I needed to get back on my tablets.
However It didnt work like the 1st couple of times. (1st/2nd time after 4 weeks I usually felt a little better ,so im told).
I started before xmas 2014 and in Jan feb 2015 it hadnt started to work. I was then very low and worried, but carried on with them.
7 - 8 months on life is good again, not because of the tablets but because you regroup and are able to solve your problems which in turns make you feel better.
It was the start of April before I started to feel i would beat it again.
Every one please be aware that the tablets arent the answer to all your problems.
Sorry to Ramble on but:
To answer your question I have come off them prior to this time very easily, infact I just stopped them. (This isnt recomnded but I found that I could do it).
This time my wife has said she will kill me if i just stop them. LOL
So my wife has been away for a week and I forgot to get my prescription renewed. I havent taken for 7 days. (Feel ok again but worried that it may just be because the dossage is so high and is still in my system). dosage is very high 60mg.
I have to be honest and am getting them again to try coming off slowly as I dont want the yearly cycle again.
I must book a doctors appiotment to talk to him about it.
Again nothing is the same for everyone, but everyone please take some positives that they do work but are not the big over night problem solver.
Feeling depressed is a terrible thing and only sufferes will know what I mean
Good luck on your journeys.
Stay strong and try to smile. (Easier said than done I know).
Please feel free to ask me any questions should you need to.
Goood luck Karen your daughter will be fine.
Regards
Spinko.
karen13323 paul29655
Posted
Did you get any side effects when you started the pills Spinko? Daughter is one week in on the lower liquid dose now, and no side effects so far, she says she feels good, better than she did on the 20mg tablets.
Im no expert but im guessing after 7 days the tablets will be out of your system mostly, good idea to chat to your GP, see what they recommend.
And yes, keep smiling, it really does help. Xx
Richo67 paul29655
Posted
Thanks for the update... you have hit on the exact reason I am on this med.
A dear friend of mine told me when I started on this that it will give me a chance to see things clearer and then to deal with the issues without the extra burden of the anxiety. I am stronger. Im not yet strong enough.
It has been 5 months of ever increasing doses now - I am on 80mg (just upped from 2 months of 60) and now just about feel that I am living again....
paul29655 Richo67
Posted
I have no doubt that anyone can beat depression. Horrible horrible ilness that only a sufferers will understand.
It really worried me going on the them and all the rumours that go with taking the stuff.
I was very concerned that I was on 60mg as I only usually had previously taken 40MG.
Everyone is different of course but on the other hand we are all made up the same way.
How life changes stragne things im worrying about now:
I'm now worried about feeling happy. WTF
Was happy on a monday moringing. Mind you didnt last long as I went to work.
Roll on Fiday
Regards
Paul